


Sugar Cookie

by xxFeuerFrei



Category: Mad Max Series (Movies), Mad Max: Fury Road
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Queerplatonic Relationships, Vegetarians & Vegans, max is a women's studies professor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-04-16 08:11:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4617969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxFeuerFrei/pseuds/xxFeuerFrei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cheedo stumbles upon a vegan café just as her coursework is beginning to drown her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Glance

**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU TO [GHOSTSJOGGING](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostsjogging) FOR BETA READING THIS YOU ARE THE BEST BABE
> 
> (he has the same url for [tumblr](http://ghostsjogging.tumblr.com) so check that out too)

Term papers were due in five days. The library was a slaughter house for creativity, with its dim fluorescent lighting that was sure to make minutes seem like hours, and vague smell of despair and Pine Sol. Even if she wanted to get a seat there, she wouldn’t be able to, as freshmen flocked to the library as it was their default. Walking past her favourite slightly off-campus Starbucks, Cheedo knew every power outlet would be hoarded by law students spending twelve hours at a time on their dissertations. 

It was cold, her socks were too thin, and Cheedo had no where else to go. She kept walking away from her apartment, knowing every building between here and there. She was hoping for a miracle. Something about the semester ending in winter was detrimental to her mental health as she hated the cold. 

Her laptop bag was beginning to feel heavy. She wouldn’t yet admit defeat and head back to her bedroom. It was difficult to write where one slept, where your roommates were a distraction just a step away, where microwave popcorn and Netflix were a possibility. She needed to get out of the same four walls she had been locked up in the past week and pump some espresso through her veins. 

A small, dimly lit purple sign came into focus. She wasn’t exactly sure the name of the establishment, since the cursive script was unnecessarily fancy, but when she peered in the window it definitely appeared to be a coffee shop. A particularly powerful breeze blew a chill up her skirt, and she quickly huddled inside. 

The smell of hazelnut immediately filled the air. It was warm and comforting but Cheedo, with her massive rucksack and laptop bag, felt out of place. The music playing was from an indie band she had never heard of. The chairs were up-cycled bamboo, the mugs were all mismatched and there wasn’t a single brand name in sight. 

She was so busy taking in the essence of the atmosphere she missed the person behind the counter. Which probably wasn’t something that happened very often. 

He was impossibly pale and was wearing all black and the muscle tee hanging from his lithe frame couldn’t really be considered a shirt. The arm holes on each side plunged so deep his tattoo chest piece was on full display. Pulled overtop was a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut-off that seemed to offer no warmth. Perhaps the most eye-grabbing feature was his bald head, accented by his stretched lobes. 

Despite how he was dressed, he was beaming a sunny aurora. Cheedo took a step towards the counter as she began to feel embarrassed about how long she had been standing in the doorway. 

“What can I get ya?” He had a decidedly English accent. The barista stood up straight from having his forearms on the counter. The apron tied around his waist seemed adorably out of place, despite the purple steering wheel logo stitched onto it. Cheedo cleared her throat, “Uhm. A latte with an extra shot?” She noticed the mouth-watering display of donuts in front of her and the pink one with pastel sprinkles caught her attention, “And that. Please.” 

The pale boy began scribbling on a coarse brown cup that was etched with a bright green recycle symbol, “What kinda milk?” 

Cheedo furrowed her brow, “I don’t care. Regular?” He looked up from what he was doing, and turned his head in a manner not unlike a confused pup, “Is regular soy milk?” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other oversized combat boot. Clasped around his wrists were strips of leather adorned with studs. The wristbands matched the belt around his waist that was certainly not holding his jeans up. 

Before she could answer, the door to the kitchen swung open. A girl, somehow even more thin than the man at the counter, stepped out. Her blonde hair was so light it was almost silver and pulled into a messy top bun. She was carrying a crate of steaming freshly cleaned mugs, “If she’s used to diary, try almond milk, Nux.” 

The almost terrifying skeleton boy turned on his heels, “Yeah, okay.” He looked back over at Cheedo, “Almond milk work for you?” He bent over and scooped the donut out of the case before placing it on an overly delicate plate with flower embellishments. Cheedo just nodded in response. 

Where had she walked into? 

As soon as she looked away, the other woman disappeared into the back. She bit back the small flicker of disappointment. The tall boy positively beamed, “Take a seat and I’ll bring it right out to you!” Passing over exact change, Cheedo turned to look for a table. 

There were only two other patrons in the shop. They were both obviously university students, typing away at their laptops with can headphones over their ears. The atmosphere was perfectly conducive to encourage independent research. Cheedo took the seat furthest from the door and closest to the radiator. It was warm and smelled like Christmas; Cheedo couldn’t complain. 

She opened her laptop and felt her cheeks colour when the ending credits to Clueless were still on the screen. She couldn’t help it, it was her feel good movie. She was there for the 90s aesthetic. She felt oddly comforted when Travis Birkenstock tried to climb out the window at the mention of midterms. Quickly closing Netflix, she opened the dreaded word document. 

If this was a lab report, she would have been fine; she could write those in her sleep. Cheedo always received high marks for being brutally honest with field details, and very thorough with colour-coordinating her charts. 

But this was her Women’s Studies final. And she felt so underqualified. 

She had taken Modern Feminism and Internalised Misogyny as an elective. As a queer women of colour, she thought it was her duty to properly educate herself. She showed up to class with her favourite brand of pink binder and gel pens, and thought it was going to be easy to fit in. Cheedo had not been prepared for a room full of pretentious philosophy majors. They were the literal worst. 

They threw around terms for things she had never even heard of, and the one time she was brave enough to ask for clarification, they snubbed her with an air of pretension that implied social justice was for the elite. Don’t let their dyed blue hair fool you, they were fitting a societal mold. 

At least the professor was sweet. When she first learned Professor Rockatansky was a man, she had been skeptical but after getting to know him, she felt guilty for that first impression. His calm demeanour and ability to take a backseat in feminist matters made him the perfect candidate for a Women’s Studies class. Half of the class was very obvious with their crushes. 

Professor Rockatansky had assigned a self-reflective essay. For most students, this meant an easy assignment. For Cheedo, it was horrifying. She had felt so lost during the course. She had stayed caught up with reading assignments, watched every documentary and read liberal commentary on each one, and had never missed a class, but she was still lost. 

She felt excluded from the discussion. To write a self-reflection, one needed something to add to the conversation. No matter how many times her classmates threw around the term intersectional (she had immediately read the Wikipedia article, and then Laverne Cox’s writing on the interlocking matrix of oppression), she was positive the class was using it improperly. She was certain this was not the intersectional feminism Gloria Jean Watkins intended. 

Cheedo laid her forehead against her keyboard. This essay was going to kill her. 

She was interrupted when a heavy boot hit the floor in front of her. The tall boy tried to gracefully clear his throat before setting a cracked mug on the table. “Sorry to interrupt.” Again, his voice came out much chipper than one would expect. “Can I get you anything else?” 

Normally, Cheedo shut down around strangers. She was fragile in social situations and shy at best. However, something about his earnest demeanour made her open up. She took the spoon sitting on the saucer and stirred her drink to steady her hands. “This term paper is going to be the death of me? I took a class I shouldn’t have.” 

Nux made an apologetic face, “Sorry, school is fucking hard.” He looked around to make sure the Dag hadn’t heard him swear. “I bet it’s not as bad as ya think, though. Just stressed from finals or whatever.” He tried for a small, encouraging smile, “If you need anything else, let me know?” 

Cheedo nodded as Nux walked back behind the corner. She looked down at her saucer again, and noticed a small cookie. It looked like it was trying to be in the shape of a rabbit. A terribly deformed rabbit. She laughed before refocusing her mind on her coursework.

She couldn’t stomach starting The Essay just yet. Instead, Cheedo procrastinated with other coursework. It was easy to hammer out her two last environmental impact studies for another class. Happily typing away in Excel, she was grateful for the playlist Capable had linked her; disappearing into the rhythm of Ingrid Michaelson helped her focus. 

Cheedo was an environmental science major and loved her craft. It was easy to push Women’s Studies to the back of her mind when she felt so at home in Environmental Risk Assessment. She could handle numbers and facts, turn them into captivating language, and feel comfortable about getting high marks. She liked the predictable and the definitive, and wasn’t ashamed of it. 

Immersed so heavily in her work, Cheedo didn’t notice the barista standing in front of her and she definitely did not flinch when his figure came into focus. Embarrassed and flustered, she immediately ripped her headphones out of her ears. Instead of his revealing shirt, he was now wearing a jacket two sizes too big that drowned him in puffy fabric. The collar went to his ears. 

Nux waved amicably with a grin pulled onto his lips, “Hey!” He edged a small cardboard box onto the table, “Hope these get you through your paper, or whatever. And don’t worry, I didn’t make them, Dag did.” 

Her lips parted to form a reply, but he was already off. He waved again, a little awkward motion, before heading towards the door and Cheedo followed him with her eyes. 

“Slit!” 

If she thought Nux was a little startling in appearance, the guy hanging by the door was much, much worse. The barista leaned forward, capturing the other’s lips in a kiss that Cheedo was sure she could never be brave enough to insinuate in public. 

She definitely, definitely wasn’t creeping. But how could she not notice? The second man was an inch or two shorter, just as bald, lobes just as stretched, but his face was covered in metal. The bridge of his nose was pierced, he had a few different pieces littering his lips, and his eyebrow had two spikes on each side. There were edges of tattoos at the end of both his sleeves. He smelled of motor oil and hash. The jacket enclosing his shoulders was also ill-fitting, but it was leather and he wore trousers with endless pockets. 

Nux slipped his hand into Slit’s back pocket, and they walked out of the café together. 

When the spectacle had ended and Cheedo was brought back to reality, she took a moment to glance around the cafe. It seemed all of the other customers had left without her even noticing. A heat bloomed from her neck up to the tips of her ears. The cafe had closed, the barista had left, and here she was stuck in her own little world. 

After quickly tossing the cardboard box into her rucksack, Cheedo started putting her laptop away. She had no idea how she had burned three hours completely out of tune with reality. Dragging her lower lip through her teeth, Cheedo began to dread the harshness of the cold. Her Polynesian would never adapt to winter. While she was wrapping her scarf around her neck she noticed the silver haired girl was still behind the counter. 

The Dag looked up from her magazine and offered a small smile. 

She hadn’t noticed all of Dag’s piercings before. Her ears were covered and there was more metal visible than skin. Her face, unlike the two men who had been there before, was pristine. Her lips were painted tangerine with the only makeup she wore. Cheedo noticed the contrast of blonde eyelashes against dark eyebrows and cerulean eyes was striking. 

“Sorry—“ Cheedo stood up, awkwardly knocking into her chair, “I didn’t mean to keep you. I lost track of time.” She brought her mug and plates to the counter. It seemed the polite thing to do. 

The other woman stood from her stool, “Nah, it’s cool. I was getting overtime to read back issues of Wallpaper.” She gathered the plates into a dish tub, fully intending to leave them for Nux to wash in the morning. “We’ll see you tomorrow?” 

Cheedo had no idea how she knew she was coming back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is my first fic since Ride Together! I told you I would keep writing for the MMFR fandom! Even though... It's a pairing no one cares for ;;; 
> 
> This chapter was particularly inspired by these two pieces of artwork:
> 
>  
> 
> [Moden!AU Nux ](http://nuxtheuncrackable.tumblr.com/post/126651927960/modern-coffee-shop-au-nux-is-basically-just-nux-in) && [Piercing Girl](http://cappugccino.tumblr.com/post/126794071240/koshimoro-piercing-girl) 


	2. The Friends: The Redhead (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Capable and Angharad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having really bad writer's block, so I'm posting the first half of the chapter! Feedback always helps.

Capable peered into the box, “Sugar cookies?” She was fresh out of the shower and her red curls lay flatly past her shoulders. The older girl was too level-headed to succumb to the End of Term Madness; she always was a step ahead of everything, regardless of if her serial-Post It notes made her seem worried. Capable was just that-- capable of everything. Cheedo looked up to her greatly.

Bundled in a plush robe and matching slippers, Capable had been busy frying eggs before Cheedo emerged from her room. She pushed a glass of orange juice towards her roommate, who was still coming to terms with consciousness. The dark skinned girl yawned before she pushed her hair behind both ears, “Yeah, the barista gave that to me on his way out before his boyfriend showed up. I’m telling you, it was an alternate reality.”

Cheedo took a seat at the kitchen island and gratefully accepted the drink. She needed some vitamins, even if it was mostly sugar. “They were all so nice. And the place smelled so good. And I got an outlet, Capable, an outlet, after six.”

The redhead let out a snort while popping two slices of bread into the toaster. It was Saturday morning, and the stress of the semester seemed further away than it did yesterday. The kettle whistled in the background.  “And it was all vegan? But it was good?” she questioned, absently braiding her hair to contain the madness that was her Merida-like genes, as she took a seat across from Cheedo, pouring her tea.

Cheedo, incapable of being sanctimonious, pushed the box forward. “Try one.” Her expression was deadly serious. Putting a forkful of eggs down, Capable made a face. “For breakfast?”  At Cheedo’s reaction, she took one out of the box with no further questions. She sniffed it before taking a small nibble. “Oh my god?”  Cheedo put her hands up, “I know. I know. I ate four of them last night.”

Returning to her eggs and toast seemed entirely too dull after she finished the most delicious sugar cookie she had ever had in her life. Capable nursed her cup of green tea, her brows furrowed, “I’m supposed to be meeting Angharad at two. Want to take us there? You know how she’s all into health food now that’s she pregnant.”

\---

The trio met up an hour later. Cheedo wasn’t quite sure how she felt about bringing friends to her new secret coffee shop, but Capable had been insistent. She didn’t have the stamina to argue with her roommate. At least it would be good to see Angharad.

Their favourite very, very pregnant international studies major was glowing as usual. She somehow had the balance and ability to wear heels throughout her entire pregnancy. She always said it was a personal challenge and she was doing it for herself. Whatever the reason, Cheedo was impressed.

The only sign that she was in her third-trimester was her cranky demeanour.

“I’m so sick of eating, just, all the time.” The blond huffed as they walked along the winding sidewalk. “And every time I walk into class, they look at me like I shouldn’t be there. I’m pregnant, not dying.”

Looking from the sidewalk to her two companions, she offered an apologetic smile. “I know it’s all I can talk about.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets, “How’s the Capable-Cheedo household holding up through finals?”

Cheedo groaned, “Great. Except for this horrible Women’s Studies class. I’ll be so glad to never have to go there again.”

The redhead snorted, twirling a curl around her finger, “Even if you bomb it, your GPA won’t be that screwed. Just tell him how insufferable his class was because of those girls. He doesn’t sound like he would approve of that happening to you.”

Angharad, with her strong moral compass, couldn’t believe Cheedo allowed her semester to be ruled by a few girls who had learnt feminism from Snapple caps. “Or tell them to fuck off and take their white feminism somewhere else. The parking lot of a Taylor Swift concert is worried sick about them.”

Cheedo didn’t think that was fair. At least Taylor was trying to learn from her mistakes. And besides, she made great workout music.

As the shop came into focus, Cheedo was pulled from her stewing. She walked a few paces in front of them, turned on her heels, and raised her hands in defense, “Okay, just keep in mind, we are going to be the only people without plates in our ears.” While Cheedo began to try to defuse before they were even there, Capable furrowed her brow, “I don’t care what he looks like as long as he has more of those cookies.” Angharad walked in first, confused as to why Cheedo thought them both so judgemental.

Instead of smelling like hazelnut, the shop had a distinct aura of lavender.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Modern!Capable was particularly inspired by knowing-queen's manip for her. 
> 
> [LINK](http://cappugccino.tumblr.com/post/127742507621/knowing-queen-mad-max-modern-aesthetics)
> 
> Unforunately, since seeing it and posting this, she has deleted her blog maybe??? :(((


	3. The Friends: The Very, Very Pregnant One (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just reminding again that ghostjogging has beta read every chapter so far and you should give him a smooch for me.

At the counter were two boys with their fingers laced together. The pink-haired male was short and leaning most of his bodyweight onto the other. The taller of the pair had an unstyled mohawk and was chatting with Nux. As soon as the skeleton boy noticed the trio of girls, he shoved the two aside, “Screw off, Grudge. We actually have some paying customers.” The pink-haired boy looked over his shoulder with a blank stare. Cheedo was sure it was disapproving. The two waved off, and headed out of the café. 

The light of day highlighted many details about the shop Cheedo had missed. The bamboo splashback, the ruggedness of the exposed piping, and the hum of the furnace added so much to the organic atmosphere. Nothing was uniform. The self-serve cinnamon, nutmeg and peppermint were all in containers likely selected on the same thrift store pilgrimage. Authenticity was deemed a requirement. 

It was charming to say the least. 

As the door chimed behind her, signaling the couple had walked out, she thought back to their presentation. They definitely fit the image of what Cheedo assumed to be their usual customers, even though they hadn’t purchased anything. 

Capable stepped forward and eyed the display case, as she had a central focus for the afternoon to acquire more cookies. Most everything in the case was purple, and Cheedo assumed they had daily colour schemes. 

Nux leaned on the countertop with his elbows, similarly to how he had the day before. At least today he had a shirt on. His attire was accented with trousers that had an infinite amount of pockets and chains running from his pocket to his belt. Even with wrists covered in spikes, he still looked welcoming. Cheedo was sure she could see peach fuzz growing around his hairline. 

As usual, his lacey apron seemed out of place. “What can I get ya?” 

“Well I don’t know,” With her hands on her hips, Angharad stepped forward. Cheedo noted that she was definitely glowing. Angharad had always been beautiful and ethereal, but the Angharad who had longed since dumped her toxic boyfriend was even more stunning. The self-harm scars were healing on her arms and she was again her confident self. Capable couldn’t have been more proud. 

“What’s organic, non-GMO, and decaf here?” The line of questioning rattled Nux’s brain. How could something be organic but still have GMOs? Was she testing him? The skeleton boy leaned back before he swirled on his heels to take a look at the chalkboard behind him. 

Old school but fitting, the chalkboard occupied most of the back wall. In the corners without print were customer doodles. Many of them of depicted the owner herself, Furiosa, or poorly drawn cupcakes. There seemed to be no in between. 

Decaffeinated was going to be the only issue, “Well, there’s always—“ The words hot chocolate died on his lips as the Dag came out of the staff door. 

Today, her hair was down and hung well past her shoulders. A few strands were tucked behind her ear to still show off her piercings. She was wearing stone washed jeans and a white crop top. She looked like she stepped out of the magazine she had been reading the previous evening. She wore no makeup and Cheedo thought it suited her better. 

“I can make you vanilla rooibos tea. It’s organic form South Africa.” Entirely thrilled with that response, Angharad didn’t even bother asking about the milk. The pregnant student went to look for a table, closest to the window, as Capable continued to have Nux pull sweets out of the case. She had amassed a pile of donuts that all were adorned with lavender accents. 

The Dag was expectantly waiting for Cheedo to place her order. 

She didn’t look particularly rushed, but the way her fingers drummed on the countertop and the clicking noise her nails made against the laminate, showed she was irritated. She tried to seem particularly unbothered about everything-- but she obviously wasn’t very patient. Her nonchalant façade had a few cracks of insecurity shining through. 

“Just a mint tea today, thanks.” Cheedo ordered, wondering what had put her in such a bad mood, a foil from the way she was last night. As Capable teetered a full plate to the table and was beaming from the prospect of overloading on unrefined sugar, the younger girl trailed after her. They had tremendously important gossip to discuss. 

\-- 

Angharad took a sip of her tea, “At least we now know why you like it here so much.” 

Looking up from her plate of sweets, Capable nodded. The chair she was seated in dwarfed her. It looked to be a throne of mismatched woods. The table Angharad had selected was perfect. It was adjacent to the window and all of its false pretense of the sun shining. The chill of the outside was on the other side of the glass and combatted with the radiator. 

For a moment, they had a welcome respite from the harshness of the weather and the cruelty of the end of term madness. 

Cheedo furrowed her brow. She wasn’t secretly a vegan, if that’s what they were implying. “And what does that mean?” 

With a small gesture of pointing over her shoulder, Capable made no other comment. Angharad’s lips split into a knowing smile. 

Following her line of sight, Cheedo’s eyes settled on the Dag. She felt the tips of her ears burn with embarrassment. She hadn’t even considered it. Especially with the way the Dag had acted today, she was definitely trying to exude an essence of anti-socialization. And why someone like that be interested in her anyway? 

Cheedo didn’t attract interesting girls. 

Girls liked to take Cheedo home to their partners. If their child had to be gay, Cheedo was the most vanila partner they could have. Girls liked Cheedo to sit in the library with and study in comfortable silence. She was the perfect dinner party date as she would never say something out of line, she would happily go to whatever movie her date picked and eat less than half of the popcorn, and she would even read over someone’s essay no matter how boring the subject matter or how busy she was. 

The Dag did not fit into this category. Not with her ability to pull off a top bun, or the piercings that littered her ears. Her nonchalant attitude wouldn’t stoop low enough to care about boring, bland Cheedo. Girls like that had girlfriends that weren’t cookie cutter students who were still battling their own internalized misogyny. 

Girls like the Dag were not interested in her.


	4. Nux the Cheater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls run into a dejected Nux.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very oddly Nux-centric chapter.

It was well past midnight when Capable and Cheedo were stumbling out of the library. Final term papers were due in a few hours and there was a sense of comradery in the damp, dark rooms intended to stimulate learning but instead sucked the air out of teleology. Another student had actually brought a coffee pot from home to keep the team going and that person was Capable’s hero. 

When they finally pulled themselves from the uncomfortable chairs and the overwhelming smell of dust, neither of them could think properly. The night was called when Cheedo had a breakdown over the printer talking back to her. Capable, functioning now exclusively on a sugar high from scarfing down multiple pink apples, was practically dragging her roommate back to their apartment. 

It took them awhile to register the soft sobbing approaching them. 

Looking up from concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, Cheedo’s eyes began to adjust to the darkness. The form that was coming towards them was a familiar skeleton. (She really needed to stop referring to him like that, it was somewhat offensive.)

“Nux!” 

The redhead yawned the second half of his name. Usually cool and collected, she wasn’t normally pulling all-nighters slamming away at a keyboard. This was her only thesis due and it was killing her softly. Despite her unusual exhaustion, she couldn’t just ignore that there was something very, very wrong with their favourite male barista. 

The pale boy was torn from his self-loathing. He rubbed the back of his wrist across his eyes and nose, “Oh! Girls!” He tried for a small, innocent smile. Seeming unaffected by the time of day, Nux tried for nonchalant despite his red puffy eyes and lips swollen from being worn between his teeth. Cheedo, if she was being honest with herself, thought he looked like shit. She also missed the apron. Without it, he had a unifying punk aesthetic and wasn’t someone she would normally approach. Thankfully, Capable was outgoing. 

Taking a step forward, the redhead looked ready to touch him in a comforting manner. She stopped herself a moment before she made contact in fear of whatever had caused his distress would be worsened by tactile affection. “Nux… What happened?” 

His entire form stiffened. Nux looked uncomfortable under scrutiny, initially having thought he could wander the streets alone and wallow. “Slit,” he breathed out, as if it was ripped out from his lungs. 

After explaining to the duo that Slit was his boyfriend, the one Cheedo had seen him passionately dominate all those days ago, Capable tangibly bristled. “Did he hurt you?” The fury that flashed in her eyes made her look ready to kill. The wrath encompassing her form was reminiscent of a harpy or maybe a titan. Cheedo was surprised, they didn’t exactly have familiar loyalty to Nux yet. But Capable’s sensibilities were violated at the prospect of domestic violence. 

Nux immediately raised his hands in defence. “No, no! Fuck no!” His eyes flickered to Cheedo as if he considered cursing in front of her was somehow a social faux-pas. She wasn’t fragile and didn’t want to be treated as such. 

“I was the fuck up,” he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. Cheedo thought that would be weird sensation against the bald skin.. “And he doesn’t want me home tonight. So, I’m just gonna kick cans and scare alley cats?” But not really scare them in any way that wasn’t just casually strolling by and startling them, or the Dag would murder Nux. 

A sob wracked Nux’s chest. He buried his face in one of his hands while fishing in his pocket for another cigarette, “And he’s so mad.” 

Without further details, Capable had no issue with comforting Nux despite him being the wrong-doer. She wrapped her arms around Nux’s shoulders and pulled him in for a tight hug. “Well, we obviously aren’t going to let you sleep on the street.” She retroactively looked towards Cheedo who gave a small nod in agreement. The brown girl would have accepted anything that would bring her to her bed soonest.

The barista made a face, a turbulent mix of gratitude and skepticism, “Are you sure?” The air around him settled. The prospect of having a roof over his head for the evening greatly settled his nerves. 

-/- 

When the three of them arrived, the apartment suddenly seemed small. Cheedo was embarrassed about the state of the couch. It was a neon pink IKEA purchase from second year, now caked in flecks of paint and soy sauce stains. When Nux was in the bathroom, to make it smell better, Capable rubbed the fabric down with a dryer sheet. 

Their essays were finished. All Cheedo had to do in the morning was deliver a folder to Professor Rockatansky’s mailbox in the morning. She could do that on minimal sleep. She could probably do that on no sleep and a Red Bull. There was even a little chance she would run into any of her classmates with a three hour drop-off window. 

Their offering of meager mismatched blankets (none of which had any hope of covering Nux’s feet) was pathetic. The only pillows Cheedo could find were pink glitter throws. Holding the stack, eyes sliding from Cheedo to Capable, Nux again looked on the verge of tears. 

“You guys really didn’t have to do this for me,” he licked at his lips nervously, “But thanks. I really appreciate it.” 

Through her exhaustion, Cheedo smiled. She was glad they had run into Nux. She was thankful she had meandered into the café so that they would know Nux to help him in his time of need. She let out a small yawn, “Gonna get some sleep.” 

She was sure Nux answered her, and maybe Capable said something too. Cheedo wasn’t sure. She set her sights on her bedroom, collapsed on her bed, and tried not to think about the fact that she hadn’t wiped her makeup off. 

-/- 

It was the deepest sleep she ever had. She had fused and became one with her favourite quilt. 

She woke to the smell of pancakes, not the sound of her alarm. Her eyes blearily tried to focus on the screen of her phone. Slipping out of bed, and bringing all of the blankets to the floor with her, the wheels in her brain began to turn. Essay, essay, essay. 

Shoving her mobile into her pocket, the pocket of the pants she had been wearing yesterday, she exited her bedroom and entered the kitchen. Her eyes weren’t quite open yet but she reigstered the form of her favourite redhead drinking her favourite green tea. “Cheedo!” 

Nux turned around and was happily tucked into a pile of fluffy pancakes dripping in maple syrup. Cheedo noted that he looked much better than the night before. He grinned, his usual cheerful and toothy smile, “Morning’!” 

Running a hand down her face, her heart began to race as the time flashing on her mobile set it. The younger girl groaned, “I have ten minutes to get my paper in.” She stepped into the nearest pair of shoes and hoped they belonged to her. After pulling her hair into a messy bun, not a fashionable messy bun but one the university athletes wore to their six am practices, she began digging in her bag for her keys. Rushing out of the apartment didn’t mean the pancakes topped with fried bananas slices didn’t look delicious. Capable’s cooking always made her mouth water. But she had to focus on not having a panic attack. 

Steeling her nerves, and trying not to think about the paper in her bag composing about seventy percent of her final grade, she exhaled a shaking breath. “Okay. I will see you later.” Capable offered a warm smile, placing her plate down to give Cheedo her full attention. Nux gave a cursory thumbs up. He didn’t know what it was like to be nervously sweating before a deadline. 

The walk across campus was unpleasant. Cheedo felt like she was hungover, her mind bogged down by substances she never dared to try. The caffeine that was fuelling her system the night before now was a traitor and made her stomach gurgle in contempt. The desperate need to take a shower was at the top of her list after she turned this paper in. 

Sliding the maroon envelope into the mailbox slot swallowed her in mix of euphoric calmness and crippling desperation. She didn’t know if she wanted to scream in happiness or cry. The semester was officially over, but now she would have to wait for her grades. The numbers that would determine her GPA, therefore her usefulness in life and whether or not she deserved financial aid. No pressure, none at all. 

Walking back to her apartment constituted of the nervous pitter patter of feet and wondering if her breathing was audible to students passing her. She spent a lot of time on her paper. She was prepared, with her highlighted notes and multiple meetings with the TA. Even if she loathed attending the class, and felt excluded from their particular brand of white-feminism (not at all crafted from Professor Rockatansky’s words but the dynamic of the other students), the self reflection she had written was a perfect mix of self-reflection and general critique. There was no reason that she wouldn’t do well unless the Professor felt she was being too harsh on the environment of the classroom. 

A familiar pair of Vegetarian Shoes, only memorable because of their obnoxious tag sticking out the heels, pulled her from her thoughts. 

The Dag seemed out of place on campus. Cheedo had secluded her to an almost alternate reality of the café. She was too ethereal and too cosmic to exist in the same universe as fraternity brothers and business majors. She belonged in Dale and the Dag hailed from Rivendell. The thought seemed vaguely romantic. 

When the white-haired girl noticed her, she waved in a small aborted motion that was at best half-hearted. She appeared tired, too. The Dag looked like she rolled out of bed and hurriedly threw on an oversized sweatshirt. A smear of mascara looked like a smudged smoky eye. The barista exhaled, “Well if it isn’t our tiniest customer.” 

Cheedo wasn’t sure that was fair. She wasn’t exactly short. 

“Yeah, trying to enjoy my freedom.” The dark haired girl exhaled and while attempting to convince herself of that statement. She wouldn’t be happy until her grades came back, and she had received at least a B. Anything less would be absolutely devastating. “And thinking about taking a nap.” Despite the fact that she had only been awake for less than an hour. 

The Dag tilted her head to the side, “I’m just looking for my least favourite idiot.” She tucked her hands into her pockets while scuffing her boot against the concrete. “Don’t want to keep you from your nap. Just going to check under all the benches to make sure Nux isn’t drowning himself in tears.” Deserved tears, in her opinion. She knew Nux didn’t arrive at her apartment when he was kicked out last night and he didn’t have many other friends. The university campus had the most benches and she was sure to find Nux sniffling under one of them; he liked to make situations worse for himself and garner the most pity. Slit was such a sucker. 

Cheedo perked up, “Nux? He’s shovelling pancakes into his mouth at my apartment. 

-/- 

The aforementioned ignorant and poorly dressed punk was indeed drunk on pancakes. Capable had shifted into her maternal mindset, worried for the poor bald duckling. She had the pleasure of submitting her thesis online the night before. Unlike Cheedo, once it was turned in, all of her cares fell by the wayside. She was happy with reading her first leisure novel in months and letting Nux detox from his emotional rollercoaster with early morning cartoons. 

Nux hadn’t revealed many of the details of why he had been kicked out. Capable had never met Slit and Cheedo had only caught a glimpse of him, so it was easy for the girls to take Nux’s side unabashedly.

When the door slammed over, Capable began to emotionally prepare herself for whatever overdramatic catastrophe had befallen Cheedo while she was attempting to turn her paper in. She loved her roommate deeply, but sometimes the petite girl fell short with coping mechanisms to deal with reality. 

Looking up, she was unprepared for the Dag to be standing in her doorway. 

The blonde took no time to cross the room. She was seething, eyes shooting daggers and nails ready to become a weapon. Dag grabbed Nux by the earlobe, “You stupid fuck.” She yanked him forward and the man let out a pathetic yelp. “Find somebody that doesn’t know Slit to feel bad for you?”

Nux slapped at her hand while the blanket fell off his lap. The War Boy made a face, “No, he kicked me out. It’s not like I just got up and left.” Even his tone was guilty, and his nonchalant demeanour from earlier felt like a betrayal. He was always so terrible at fighting with his partner. Nux, who generally floated through life being carefree, was the unaffected one even when he had caused the problem. 

Letting Nux go with a slap to the back of his head, Dag’s hands rested on her hips. She shifted her weight to one boot with a popped hip before exhaling through her nose. She was furious. “Yeah? So when he stopped by my place last night looking like a kicked puppy, you were here being cooed over?” Nux’s overeagerness could sometimes cause hurt. He would have to learn that. 

The War Boy stood from the couch while dragging his hands down his face. Had Slit really gone looking for him? His voice was caught in his throat. Being away from their home, he had certainly built a makeshift home with Slit, allowed him to forget what he had done. To their relationship, to Slit, to the trust his partner instilled in him. It wasn’t a break from reality that he deserved. He had taken advantage of the kindness of Capable and Cheedo.

Slit hadn’t exactly kicked him out. It wasn’t like they fought with tears down streaming their cheeks and choked out confessions. No, it was more in the style of two seething men yelling empty obscenities. What Nux had called getting kicked out wasn’t Slit handing him his toothbrush while sobbing into a handkerchief. He had just pointed at the door and told him to fuck off. Nux was certainly being the over dramatic one. 

Nux exhaled a shaking breath, “Yeah, yeah.” He worried his lower lip through his teeth and wondered if he had the stomach to see his usually stoic boyfriend dejected and cross with him. “Let’s get this over with.” 

With that, he stepped forward pulling Capable into an embrace not unlike the one she had comforted him with the evening before. He offered her a small smile with a touch of sadness in his eyes. “Thanks for having me, guys.” His gaze flickered to Cheedo. Stepping back, he wrapped an arm around the younger girl’s shoulders, “Hopefully next time I’m over it will be under happy circumstances.” 

When Dag was impatiently waiting outside of the door, and Nux was just stepping over the threshold, he waved to them. “Come by the café so I can thank you!” With pastries the Dag had made and his very mediocre lattes, but it was the thought that counted. 

With the door shut and two sets of boots making their way down the hallway, Capable collapsed on the couch. 

“I need a nap.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a playlist for this fic~ 
> 
> You can listen [here!](http://8tracks.com/cappugccino/first-glance-and-every-breath-after)
> 
> :3c


	5. Peppermint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this draft title was "nux is a poop" and i feel like i just needed to share that with you. 
> 
> ***KASPAR IS MY NAME FOR OVERDRAMATIC WAR BOY / BLOOD SHED TED***
> 
> this one: http://redshoesnblueskies.tumblr.com/post/125759234044/do-we-know-the-name-of-that-war-boy-who-talks-to
> 
> because hell no he didn't sleep with morsov i could never do that to slit

Nux knew it was no excuse.

Their relationship had always been a power struggle and it was part of what initially attracted Nux to Slit. They were equals but both had the urge to dominate. This quality kept their relationship interesting. Perhaps claiming described what they both wanted, leaving teeth marks and hickeys and splashes of white across the bridge of their partner’s nose. It made for great sex in the back of Slit’s car and quick hookups in club bathrooms. It was always a conversation, always a debate about who was the big spoon. And Nux loved that Slit would never back down. They were an equal match in every way.

It had been a moment of weakness. He didn’t want to have to work hard. He wanted a partner that would roll over and take whatever he had to give him.

Kaspar had been a quick convenience. A shameful punk that would roll over and lift his ass in the air. A quick fuck just to get off and disgracefully rut towards the edge of orgasm. Nothing affectionate or loving included. He wanted to feel big and powerful without having to work. In retrospect, a pathetic existence. Something so feeble and inadequate that he knew Slit would have just laughed in his face. He had given into hyper-masculinity, a inbred and ill-rooted expectation to dominant. He felt like he deserved it. Nux truly only cared about himself in the moment, neither thinking of his partner Slit or the writhing and displeased Kaspar below him. It was sick. It was sick, and he deeply regretted it.

Slit was initially outraged. Nux had violated a trust that it took them so much to build. He wasn’t someone that was quick to form emotional bonds, or to give people second chances. The angry mechanic preferred to be closed off from the rest of society. He never felt like he belonged, and putting himself out there would open himself to hurt. Which is exactly what happened. But imagining a life without Nux seemed unfathomable. It took him awhile, but he ended up forgiving his stupid, idiotic, ignorant War Boy. Nux cried the entire time they argued over it. He seemed genuinely sorrowful and distressed that he had done it in the first place. When Nux was forgiven and Slit’s anger had subsided, they didn’t leave their apartment. Slit had to properly fuck his taste back into his boyfriend’s mouth. Nux was more than willing to stay in bed. Some of the weekend entailed more arguing. Slit was quick to anger and instead of diffusing the situation, Nux screamed back. At least they were passionate.

 

——

 

Two days had passed and the weekend was over. Cheedo would be leaving on Wednesday, heading home for the holiday. After the debacle at her apartment, before the Dag could drag him out by his ear, Nux did ask for them to stop by. Cheedo couldn’t deny that she had been thinking about getting another hazelnut latte. After staying up all night to catch up on her shows that were forgotten about during finals, she decided she needed some espresso.

The walk over was brisk. It was getting colder and the grass crunched under her feet. Cheedo’s breath come out in puffs of clouds. She hoped Nux would appreciate that she was going out of her way to wish him a pleasant break. When she opened the shop with her elbow, while keeping her skirt down with her other hand, the scent of cocoa filtering through the air was a welcome respite. She couldn’t wait to see the matching dessert case if today’s theme was chocolate.

Instead of seeing her favourite bald barista with his lace lined apron, the Dag was working on icing a cake. She always looked like effortless perfection. Even the wispy white hairs framing her face seemed crisp. Today she was trying mascara on her top lashes and it certainly accent her pale features in contrast with her cerulean eyes. Looking up from the cake, the Dag opened her mouth to give Cheedo a generic greeting but quickly stopped herself when she realised who it was. Her nail beds were dyed purple from mixing the icing. Smudges of flour dusted across the apron around her waist. She looked in her element. “Can I get you anything?”

Cheedo took another step into the cafe while self-consciously adjusting her skirt. “I guess Nux isn’t in?” Just as the words were leaving her mouth, Cheedo instantly regretted them. She wished she could taken them back from the universe. It made it sound like she was disappointed to see the Dag, and that wasn’t the case in the slightest.

“Uh, nope,” The Dag set down her icing bag, “He’s busy getting his brains fucked out and called in sick.” She brushed away some icing from her chin with the back of her wrist, “You can leave him a note?” After the stunt that Nux had pulled, he didn’t deserve any privacy. The silver haired girl wasn’t too happy to have an opening shift that she hadn’t signed up for-- but was glad that Slit and Nux were able to work through the indiscretion.

Cheedo shifted up to her toes, peering over the counter at the cake the other girl was working on. So far, she had drawn a beautiful bouquet of various flowers in different shades of purple; it included peonies, chrysanthemums and the beginning of a hyacinth. She was so distracted by the artistry of the drawing that she blurted out, “Is that for a customer?” instead of providing an answer.

The Dag flicked her tongue across her lower lip while fighting down a smile, “Sorta. I’m practising. The boss is going to be in tomorrow and I want to leave this in the case.” She bent down and retrieved a notepad from the cabinet. “I’m sick of looking at it.”

The brown skinned girl’s eyebrows shot up. She was sick of looking at a delicious masterpiece? If Cheedo had a talent like that, she would flood Instagram with progress pictures. “Would you mind taking a break to make me a coffee?” After placing a pen on the notepad, the Dag turned on her heels and walked towards the espresso machine, “Yeah, sure, what are you having?”

Cheedo always felt overwhelmed when she looked at the chalkboard full of artisanal drinks. She couldn’t imagine how most of the flavours worked together. Lavender hot chocolate, masala chai, black tea with orchids and cacao, it all sounded delicious.

“How about,” she glanced down at the case of sweets, “Whatever would go best with those peppermint cookies?” She would take one for herself and one for Capable. Cheedo grabbed the notepad and scribbled out a nondescript note to Nux. She didn’t want him to think that they had all disappeared, but she didn’t know him well enough to have sweet parting words.

The Dag was busy preparing a white chocolate macchiato with rich espresso and a light sweet syrup. It was definitely a suitable winter choice and pairing chocolate with chocolate, she couldn’t go wrong. She was absently thinking about what she would do on her day off tomorrow. With the university students leaving, maybe she could actually get a spot at her favourite brunch place. She made a mental note to text Toast tonight.

Sliding the drink and a box of cookies across the counter, she offered Cheedo a small smile, “Anything else?” Cheedo could smell the richness of the drink and was entirely pleased. She set the notepad on the table, “No, that’s great. Thanks.” Even though this coffee shop had been in her life for such a small time, it was weird to think she wouldn’t be here for two weeks over winter break. She had so many questions to ask Nux about Slit. And she didn’t mind these small encounters with the Dag, either.

The white haired girl put two fingers on the notepad and slid the paper back towards Cheedo, “Cool. So, can I get your number?” The tips of Cheedo’s ears burned bright pink.

 

Oh, _oh_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (again, no, i'm not describing a healthy nux/slit relationship) 
> 
> on the plus side it's time to focus on slow build cheedag
> 
> the drinks on the menu are from my favourite brunch place, Open City DC, because i'm always thinking about brunch


End file.
